Hard-nosed Juan Carlos Gimenez unsuccessfully challenged for a super middleweight title four times during a 28-year career.

Gimenez was the eldest of five brothers, born in Asunción, the capital city of Paraguay, on December 20, 1960.

"When I was two years old my parents moved to Buenos Aires and took me," Gimenez told The Ring through translator Patricio Retondaro. "To get a better life and a job in Argentina, that was a much richer country than Paraguay. When we moved to Argentina our situation improved."

His adopted home played a pivotal role in him taking up boxing.

"When I was 15, I got into boxing in Luna Park stadium," he said. "I got some quality sparring at Luna Park; I also sparred guys that I fought later. I saw [two-time WBA light heavyweight titleholder Victor] Galindez training, and I was impressed.

"If I hadn't started boxing in Argentina, I wouldn't have achieved what I did in boxing."

Gimenez had around 30 amateur fights in Argentina before moving back to Paraguay where he finished out his amateur career, winning four national titles.

He turned professional, after going 85-2 as an amateur, with a sixth-round stoppage against fellow debutant Pedro Lobato, in January 1982.

Gimenez won his first 11 fights and then claimed the South American light heavyweight title when he knocked out the vastly more experienced Jose Maria Flores Burlon (68-7-5) in one round. He made one defense before heading to Argentina where he lost two fights.

Unperturbed, he dropped to middleweight and reeled off 13 wins in 15 fights, against one draw and a loss to former middleweight title challenger Juan Domingo Roldan (UD 10) in September 1986.

Gimenez was selected to face living legend Roberto Duran, who was working his way back after being after being upset by Robbie Sims the previous year.

"Against Duran, I felt comfortable because Duran was very talented but a fighter like myself," he explained. "Duran beat me and won the fight clear."

Gimenez won several fights and was rewarded with a trip to Italy to face WBC super middleweight titlist Mauro Galvano in February 1992.

"I think Galvano prepared the perfect plan for me," he said. "I knew Galvano, I saw him fight and thought I was going to stop him. For me, Galvano was a weak boxer, not strong or a good chin.

"I thought I would get him on the ropes and knock him out, but the rounds went on, and I couldn't fulfil the plan. The decision could have been a bit closer."

His earnest showing saw him face Chris Eubank for the WBO super middleweight crown in Manchester, England in November 1992.

"I felt Eubank was superior because he was cleverer in how he fought me,” he said. “Eubank feinted a lot and that surprised me a lot, I wasn't used to that and frustrated me during the fight."

Six wins later, he returned to England and met WBC 168-pound titleholder Nigel Benn, in Birmingham, in September 1994.

"I tried my best, but Benn was superior the whole fight," he admitted. "He was very skilful, fast and strong. I was only able to connect with a good punch in Round 11. Benn belongs to the elite level."

Gimenez continued and travelled to Cardiff, Wales and met rising star Joe Calzaghe in April 1998.

"Apart from being a southpaw, he had very good stamina," said Gimenez, who was stopped for the first time in his career when his corner retired him at the end of nine-rounds. "I felt it was impossible to beat Calzaghe."

He lost to iron-jawed former middleweight titlist Jorge Castro (UD 10) and future two-division world champion Zsolt Erdei (TKO 8).

Gimenez (62-14-4, 42 knockouts) fought on until he was 49 and bowed out with a win to claim the Paraguayan cruiserweight title in June 2010.

"I receive a pension from the government for what I achieved in boxing," he said. "Apart from that I started giving boxing lessons, never for competition."

Gimenez, now 64, is married, has four children, three grandchildren and lives in Asunción.

He graciously took time to speak to The Ring about the best he fought in 10 key categories:

Joe Calzaghe: "He was a southpaw, he was smart using the jab, that complicated me in the fight, more than anybody else."

Mauro Galvano: "He moved a lot, the whole fight I went forward trying to connect but it was very difficult to reach him because Galvano kept moving and kept a game plan for escaping in the fight and that frustrated me."

Nigel Benn: "I have faced many champions and great boxers, they were all with hand speed, Joe Calzaghe, Roberto Duran, Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn but in my opinion, Nigel Benn was the fastest."

Calzaghe: "Calzaghe and Galvano both had exceptional footwork. Galvano was an escapist; he wanted to avoid my power. Calzaghe used his footwork and was very clever and could use his footwork to attack as well."

Galvano: "He prepared a plan to avoid my power and to do enough to keep the title."

Jorge Amparo: "He was exactly like me. I attacked and instead of going back he attacked even more - very strong."

Cesar Romero: "He was called the beast and learned to box in jail. I hit him with everything, and he was standing there and even won the fight. [I was] only [knocked down] twice. I was dropped against Walter Hart and Teobaldo Oliveira, then won by knockout "

Juan Roldan: "[Roldan] was the hardest puncher, I faced. I remember Duran connected once with an overhand right and I was on the ropes, and I was rocked. Calzaghe is by retirement; I was hit by the ribs. I quit against [Zsolt] Erdei because I fought with a rib injury. Roldan could knock you out with just a single punch."

Roberto Duran: "The guy was super talented. How he managed the distance in the ring, how he adapted to the opponent, how he used the jab, how he knew when he had to attack and go back."

Duran: "In the first round, I felt I won and could stop Duran but then Duran adapted, changed the style in the second round and gave me a boxing lesson the whole fight."